Japanese retail giant Aeon launched a promotional campaign for Vietnamese Cat Chu mangoes last Saturday (7 November), marking inaugural sales of the imported fruit in Japan, reports Tuoi Tre News.
Aeon plans to sell Vietnamese Cat Chu mangoes, which recently gained access to Japan, across its Japanese network this season, the report said.
Vietnamese exporters Yasaka and Good Life, responsible for Cat Chu exports to Japan, told the news site they expect to ship around 100 tonnes of the fruit to Japan by the end of the year.
The mangoes were well received by Japanese shoppers, who considered prices (US$3.16-US$4.86 per fruit) cheaper than other mangoes available on the market, the report said.
Saturday's promotional launch followed five years' negotiation by Vietnam to gain access to Japan for its mangoes.
At the launch, Vietnam's ambassador in Japan said the acceptance of Cat Chu mangoes could be a spring board for other Vietnamese fruit to enter the Japanese market in future.
Cat Chu mangoes are only the second Vietnamese fruit to gain access to the Japanese market since dragon fruit in 2009, the report said.
